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COLONEL TRAVOLIS A. SIMMONS

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Col. Travolis A. Simmons is the 57th Wing Vice Commander, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The 57th Wing is responsible for 37 squadrons at 11 installations comprising the Air Force's most diverse flying wing. The wing flies and maintains more than 150 aircraft of the following types: A-10, F-15C/D, F-15E, F-16C/CG/CJ, F-22A, F-35A and HH-60G. The wing also utilizes E-3, RC-135, E-8, B-1, B-2, B-52, C-130, KC-135, C-17, AC-130U and MC-130P aircraft and MQ-9 remotely piloted aircraft to support the U.S. Air Force Weapons School syllabus. The 57th Wing is responsible for four groups: 57th Adversary Tactics Group, 57th Operations Group, 57th Maintenance Group and the U.S. Air Force Weapons School. In addition, the Wing oversees the U.S. Air Force Advanced Maintenance and Munitions Operations School; U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds; and the Red Flag and Green Flag exercises.

Col. Simmons holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Alabama and received his commission through ROTC as a Distinguished Graduate in 1997. He has commanded an operations support squadron, an adversary tactics group and has served in a variety of leadership positions to include instructor/evaluator pilot, Chief of Safety, and Chief of U.S. Air Forces Central Command Commander’s Action Group. Prior to his current position, Col. Simmons was the Commander, 57th Adversary Tactics Group, Nellis AFB, where he led seven squadrons replicating worldwide Adversary Air Power.

Col. Simmons’ operational experiences include operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and Noble Eagle. He is a command pilot with more than 2,000 flying hours in the F-16, F-117A and F-22A.

EDUCATION
1997 Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
2004 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2007 Master of Aeronautical Science, Embry Riddle University
2010 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Distinguished Graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Master of Science in Military Strategy, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2016 Master of Science in National Resource Strategy, The Eisenhower School, National Defense University, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.
2019 Executive Education - Driving Government Performance, Harvard Business School, Harvard University, Boston, Mass.


ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 1998 – June 1998, Special Assistant to the Commander, Samford University ROTC, Birmingham, Ala.
2. June 1998 – December 1999, Student, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
3. January 2000 – August 2000, Student, F-16C Initial Qualification Training, Luke AFB, Ariz.
4. September 2000 – September 2001, F-16CG Pilot and Squadron Scheduler, Osan Air Base, South Korea
5. September 2001 – May 2004, F-16C Instructor Pilot and Chief of Training, Dannelly Field, Ala.
6. May 2004 – August 2004, Student, F-117A Initial Qualification Training, Holloman AFB, N.M.
7. August 2004 – May 2007, F-117A Flight Examiner, T-38A Pilot, Flight Commander, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, Holloman AFB, N.M.
8. May 2007 – September 2007, Student, F-22A Initial Qualification Training, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
9. September 2007 – July 2009, F-22A Mission Commander, Chief of Wing Training, Assistant Director of Operations, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
10. August 2009 – June 2010, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
11. July 2010 – June 2011, Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
12. August 2011 – November 2012, Chief, Commander’s Action Group, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, Al Udeid AB, Qatar
13. November 2012 – February 2014, Chief of Safety, 3rd Wing, JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
14. February 2014 – May 2015, Commander, 3rd Operations Support Squadron, JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
15. July 2015 – June 2016, Student, The Eisenhower School, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
16. June 2016 – July 2018, Executive Officer to the Deputy Commander UNC/USFK, Yongsan Army Garrison, South Korea
17. August 2018 – July 2019, Commander, 57th Adversary Tactics Group, Nellis AFB, Nev.
18. July 2019 – present, Vice Commander, 57th Wing, Nellis AFB, Nev.


SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2016 – July 2018, Executive Officer to the Deputy Commander UNC/USFK, Yongsan Army Garrison, South Korea, as a colonel


FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating:  command pilot
Flight hours:  more than 2,000 hours
Aircraft flown: T-37, T/AT-38, F-16C/D, F-117A and F-22A


MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Bronze Star
Meritorious Service Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with three bronze oak leaf clusters, with “V” device
Air Force Achievement Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster


EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Jan. 15,1998
First Lieutenant Jan.15 2000
Captain Jan. 15, 2002
Major July 2007
Lieutenant Colonel  Dec. 1, 2011
Colonel 1 May 2017

(Current as of August 2019)